This summer Miss USA made remarks about women learning to defend themselves (read here) that became quite a hot topic. Now obviously my take on it is biased. Not only do I own a Martial Arts school but I am the father to a beautiful little girl (who trains 5 days a week) and Husband to a wonderful woman who is very supportive of my endeavours. At my school I teach many females and I have seen in the last ten years of running my school a greater interest which I think is fantastic, especially in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is becoming more popular among women due to its fundamental training of technique over strength. To learn how to topple someone much larger and stronger than you is something every person desires. For women, this is something very appealing as it is the perfect martial art for self defence. If you’re a woman, you’ll certainly have fun reading about learning and using BJJ.

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Lose the Disadvantage

Women are generally at a disadvantage when it comes to size and strength. So if a man were to spring in front of you and threaten you, it would be easy for you to be over-powered. This is where BJJ shines; giving women the fundamentals of body mechanics and understanding how the correct positioning can give women an advantage over bigger adversaries.

Unlike most martial arts, BJJ self defense classes are more regular and need the practitioner to attend them three to four times a week, depending on the martial arts school. Regular practice makes BJJ a part of your lifestyle, a better, stronger and safer lifestyle.

BJJ is a fighting system that was developed by the late Helio Garcie, who himself was a man of small size. So it makes perfect sense for women, who are invariably physically smaller than men, to learn and utilize this martial art. Helio Garcie adapted the techniques of BJJ so a petite person would no longer have to fear someone larger and stronger. He emphasized the use of choke-holds and joint locks to take down opponents. Incorporating sweeps and counters for off balancing allowed Helio Garcie to take down even the strongest of adversaries.

Technique over Strength

BJJ is the perfect self defence for women to deter bullies and other troublemakers. Being able to bring someone down into submission makes BJJ very popular among the ladies. Attending BJJ classes regularly will help you to hone your skills and program your brain for victory over any rival. Practicing proper techniques and applying them over again in the ring helps harden your nerves and ingrains these moves into your muscle memory. Women are able to do this because they get to train with men, as well as with women who are bigger and stronger than them. There cannot be a better way to practice than to have your fellow classmate try to grapple and strangle you into submission. Not to worry though, all these techniques are performed under strict supervision!

Realistic Engagement

Unlike other martial arts, BJJ does not include striking during sparring, which allows the two practitioners to have a more realistic engagement. Another reason why BJJ is a big hit with women is because of female fighters in MMA. These ladies are revolutionizing the way people see MMA. It is due to BJJ that women are now besting men (who are up to no good) despite being smaller than them.

If you are a woman who wants to learn how to defend herself than Arashi Do Martial Arts is the place to be. We will walk you through the basics of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu while making sure that you are learning and practicing the techniques. When it comes to being able to overpower any opponent, BJJ is the way to go.

Even though MMA fighters train and study everything from Muay Thai to Boxing, it is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) that gets most of the attention. After all, it was a BJJ practitioner, Royce Gracie who introduced BJJ in the first ever Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and defeated an opponent much larger and stronger than himself. He utilized a technique called the rear choke to win UFC-1. These chokes are an essential part of BJJ and a must to learn for any BJJ practitioner or MMA fighter.

Effectiveness of BJJ Chokes

Chokehold

The main reason why these chokeholds are effective is because they give you control over your opponent, fast. If your opponent is unable to breathe due to an air choke and unable to free himself then he will tap out. These chokes can also render a person unconscious during a street fight, giving you the chance to run away.

Blood Choke

Another type of choke is the blood choke. This one is especially effective as it can render your opponent unconscious within 4 to 5 seconds. The name may sound horrible, ‘blood choke’, but it does no permanent damage. It only applies pressure to a specific area of a vein or artery. This is a great self-defense technique because of its quick effect and easy application.

Triangle Choke

This choke is excellent for the moments when you have been pinned down by your opponent on your back. Form a triangular position with your legs and wrap them around your opponent’s neck with one leg going under one arm, locking it. This is another form of blood choke as it also causes your opponent lose consciousness, if proper pressure is applied on the carotid artery.

Rear Naked Choke

This one can be seen being applied by MMA fighters more often than any other choke. You can do this choke in 2 different ways,

You come from behind and firmly wrap your arm around the throat and then clasp both of your hands together around your opponent, securing the choke.

Another way is to secure it by grabbing onto your bicep, applying pressure to your opponent’s carotid artery. This has the same effects of a blood choke; your opponent will be done within seconds.

The Guillotine Choke

Bruce Lee himself showcased the effectiveness of this chokehold. It can be applied on the ground or while standing. This can have an effect of an air choke or a blood choke, depending on how it is applied. If you are applying this while on the ground then you secure your opponent with a closed guard and then encircle your opponent’s neck with your arms. When applying this technique standing, both your legs will be on the ground while your arms do exactly the same.

Keep in mind that recovery from these chokes can be quick so your rival may get up and be ready to fight in a few seconds. Even though these chokes are effective, you will require escape maneuvers to emerge victorious.

At Arashi Do Martial Arts in Edmonton, we teach you the safe and proper way to apply BJJ chokes. We teach you the physiology, their effects and the hows and whens for their perfect execution.

Come down to Arashi Do Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14.

All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! As well as our 30 minute Fast Fitness program for FREE!

Martial Arts have emerged as one of the best forms of women’s self defense. With more and more women enrolling themselves for training in martial arts, a number of institutes have come up with experienced and trained faculty to assist them in the training process.

Amongst the Martial Art forms most practiced by women for self defense, BJJ or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA or mixed martial arts and Muay Thai tops the list. All these forms are combat sports forms that require complete body contact with the opponent. So when women are training in BJJ, MMA or Muay Thai they need to be careful and alert about the partner they choose to train with to make their training sessions comfortable.

Apart from a few Women’s Only BJJ, MMA or Muay Thai training centers for women’s self defense, most martial arts training centers will have male faculties to deal and practice with. Training in BJJ or MMA involves grappling techniques and clinches. Under such circumstances women can easily get uncomfortable if they fall in the hands of the worst training partners, who may be annoyed to work with someone much lighter or weaker than them. A good training partner will always respect their partner and handle them with professionalism while training in BJJ, MMA or Muay Thai.

It can be very difficult to find a good training partner from the opposite sex. Which is why it makes sense to train with someone you trust. A Brother or Boyfriend/Husband seem like an ideal partner. However this can make a difficult situation. Although your trusted male partner is likely bigger and stronger than you, which is great for simulating a larger attacker, they are unlikely experienced with BJJ and will not know how to help you achieve your goal of mastering Self Defense techniques. They may be uncomfotable being an attacker and resist too little, or likely not understand how much of a weight and strength difference there is and apply too much force.

If they do not have any experience with Martial Arts they will probably not understand why and when you would use your defensive technique. This will make both of you feel confused and question your training, or worse yet, one of you may get injured.

But both of those scenarios are really not terrible. The WORST TRAINING PARTNER is one who feels that they should be showing you what to do regardless of what you learned. The worst training partners for women is the egoist male. He will always try to establish that you cannot get any better. Some men can feel uncomfortable when their female partner is partaking in something so physical as Martial Arts. It is easy for them to counter the moves you just learned in class with strength and then humble you by grabbing you tightly and saying “No what are you going to do?”. This is a form of abuse and is petty. They are unsure of their masculinity and it is best to avoid EVER practicing with this partner again.

This can be very frustrating for the instructor who has a plan for your training and needs you to practice you moves with a variety of training partners and gradually add resistance to the movements to make them more realistic. Too much resistance too soon will just leave you questioning your training, just like going to the gym with a friend who is in great shape and then being sore for a week.

However if women research a little then finding a good training partner to learn women’s self defense techniques should not be difficult. Remember, a good partner will always make the learning experience fruitful and enjoyable. Their assistance can only enhance skills rather than create a fear in learning women’s self defense martial art forms.

While training in women’ self defense oriented martial arts, women are bound to come across some of the worst training partners in the world. One such training partner is one who is below your skill levels but will show that he knows more. This is why it is essential to conduct a background research on your partner before you start a training session. Instead of giving tips to improve while training in BJJ, these men will try to highlight your faults. Their attention will be on the technique rather than your skills.

Although it might seem like finding a training partner is an impossible task, it really isn’t so bad, but does take a little effort. Once you have one you will really appreciate what a great connection you have. This is why it is always a good idea to start BJJ with someone you trust. If you and your Boyfriend/Husband start at the same time, he will have a better sense of what the common goal for both of you is. You can also ask your instructor questions about how to be better partners for eachother.

Come down to Arashi Do North Edmonton and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14. All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL!

Just like women and self defense go hand in hand so does women and fitness. So the best technique for women’s self defense should be one that not only helps you defend yourself from possible attacks by assailants but also tones up your body and keeps it physically fit. You can achieve self defense techniques and fitness through BJJ or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu which is very popular form of martial art. The full body building techniques of BJJ are prompting more and more women to take it up instead of Karate or Tae Kwon Do. Training in BJJ will not only enhance a women’s self defense skills but will also give them better fitness through balanced weight loss and toning of the body muscles through movements specific to only Jiu Jitsu.

Many women spend useless hours training at the gym to lose weight only to repeat the same boring process over and over. Training in BJJ will give you a challenging yet fun workout and will teach you women’s self defense techniques. A training session in BJJ comprises of warm up exercises/cardiovascular exercises using your bodyweight which result in weight loss, toned muscles and a better understanding of how to use your body as a weapon. Jiu Jitsu is a complete mental and physical workout in itself. The moves in BJJ comprising of Clinching, Throwing, Escaping Positions and some really cool Submissions combine together to keep the body healthy and strong. A woman’s body can be delicate and fragile, but BJJ ignores that factor and works on combining muscles through the various moves to make them stronger than that of an average man’s. A female body that acquires fitness through BJJ training will definitely be more fit than one that only works out at the gym.

Fitness through the Martial Arts is gaining popularity every day with more and more fitness centers introducing BJJ in their training sessions to make the workouts more interesting and enjoyable. Fitness comes as a bonus to women training in BJJ along with techniques for women’s self defense. Strength, stamina, self confidence and high energy levels are all infused in a BJJ workout session making it highly effective as a fitness regime.

Fitness training in BJJ also reduces stress levels and increases the strength of the overall immune system in women. The training sessions are rigorous, but what makes them enjoyable is that they are usually done with your partner. Thus women can more effectively achieve fitness through BJJ in comparison to any other fitness regime that they might be following because you have a partner their to motivate you.

After training in Jiu Jitsu women will find their reflexes working better, your balance will improve, your core will be stronger and your body less prone to diseases as the work out sessions in BJJ training are designed to build the immunity system stronger and keep it efficient. So whether it is a Throw, an Escape, or a Submission, every move a woman makes in BJJ is toning your muscles and making your body more fit and healthier than ever.

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Come down to Arashi Do and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14. All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! What are you waiting for? Call or text us at 780-220-5425 or email us at myackulic@ArashiDo.com

With more and more women enrolling themselves for training in BJJ or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), the need for martial arts training equipments has risen drastically. BJJ and MMA have become a must to know in the art of women’s self defense. Leaving Karate and Tae Kwon Do behind, BJJ, MMA and even Muay Thai have gained popularity in leaps and bounds for their unique ground fighting techniques that are so essential for women’s self defense. Experts have come up with a variety of training tools for women engaged in these forms of martial arts to make them stronger and successful martial arts practitioners.

Amongst the many equipments available for training in BJJ and MMA, the fight gloves, shorts and padded sports bras for women are a must have. New comers may have padded vests to protect themselves from injuries at an early stage of their training in women’s self defense or Muay Thai. It is best to get your size checked before ordering one of these vests, especially if you are ordering online. Don’t go for padded vests with poor fittings as these will not make your workouts and training sessions any easier or comfortable.

There is a wide range of attractive and smart women’s self defense training shirts available these days. These shirts used by those training in BJJ and MMA are made of breathable materials like rayon, bamboo and spandex. These shirts are very stretchable and will never keep your movements on hold. Some even come with mesh panels to regulate body temperature. The flat lock stitching makes these shirts very durable in grappling situations and will never give away to cause any embarrassments. For women training in BJJ for women’s self defense, a hoodie or a hooded jacket is a cool accessory to use at breaks during the training sessions. These front open zipper jackets are not only comfortable but make a style statement too for women wearing them.

Beautiful Muay Thai shorts are a must for women practicing MMA and Muay Thai. These shorts are comfortable, some stretchable and come in attractive feminine colors like pink and white. These shorts used by women sport training other forms of women’s self defense give enough leg space to enable one to perform kick actions with ease. Most of the shorts come in comfortable satin material with elastics on the waist and drawstrings to adjust to a perfect fit. Women uncomfortable with the shorts while training in BJJ can go for the training pants instead.

Training in women’s self defense oriented martial arts is a must for every women and it is also a must to have a Gi for the training sessions too. With more and more BJJ, Muay Thai and MMA equipment manufacturers opening up their online stores, women training in women’s self defense can now order an attractive Gi for themselves with a click of their mouse such as these from Fenom. Other combat sports equipments that women can pick up apart from these essential ones are training shin guards, elbow and knee pads and punch mittens. Some women may also like a BJJ Gi belt, head gear and thigh pads.

Connect with other great women BJJ’ers in Edmonton on their Facebook page. Click HERE

Come down to Arashi Do and try out one of our great Brazilian programs like Fundamental BJJ, Women’s Only BJJ or Children’s BJJ for ages 4-7 and 8-14. All those and you get a 30 DAY FREE TRIAL! What are you waiting for? Call or text us at 780-220-5425 or email us at myackulic@ArashiDo.com

Crime against women is on a steady rise. Under these circumstances it has become essential for women to train themselves in women’s self defense techniques. When it comes to women and self defense the top most technique that comes on our mind is martial arts. Women trained in martial arts can well protect themselves from attacks by assailants. There is particular martial art forms that are best suited for women. Amongst these training in BJJ or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA or mixed martial arts and Muay Thai deserve mention.

Amongst the best forms of women’s self defense martial art, BJJ or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is considered to be ideal. BJJ is best for ground fights. The grappling and knee strikes are enough to tackle assailants in case of possible attacks. Apart from grappling, training in BJJ also teaches women choke holds, biting, eye gouging, knee kicks and joint locks. The moves are designed to overpower the opponent. The moves in BJJ help women to throw over their assailants or opponents over and around. Women can trap their assailant under their arm and then serve a punch on their collarbone. She can them push him back and pin him down with their wrist. BJJ also teaches women to kick their assailants in a standing position by delivering a kick on his knee as he stands. This shot will help her over power him and pin him down to the ground. He will not have much time to think about a counter attack with the BJJ strikes. Women can easily overpower a man much heavier and stronger built than themselves with BJJ strokes.

So next time a man attacks her by grabbing her shirt she need not move back. Instead she should come forward and hit her hips on his mid section, grab him from the back by grappling his shoulders and throw him over her shoulders at one go! Women training in BJJ for women’s self defense are also taught appropriate ground fights where she can break the knee joints of her assailant and with arm bars snap his elbows and wrists. With her legs she can overpower him by sitting on his torso and serving unlimited punches on his face till he gives in.

Amongst some of the other best women’s self defense martial art forms, MMA or mixed martial arts deserves mention. MMA uses training in BJJ, Muay Thai and kickboxing in combination giving maximum advantage to women to overcome their assailants with ease. Knowledge and training in MMA can help women overcome their attackers in multiple positions. This will raise their confidence levels while encountering attacks of any form. Most of the moves in MMA are designed to help a weaker person overcome a stronger one. This is perhaps one of the reasons why it is considered to be ideal for women’s self defense.

Lastly Muay Thai a martial art form that owes its origin to Thailand deserves mention when it comes to women’s self defense. This form of martial arts primarily uses kickboxing moves to overcome the opponent. It is also known as the “art of eight limbs” as it stresses on attacking at eight vital contact points on the limbs. Women can kick on the jaws, deliver a head punch and use their knees and elbows to overcome their assailants with ease. These unique women oriented moves has made BJJ, MMA and Mauy Thai the most preferred martial art forms for women’s self defense.

For more information on starting in BJJ, call 780-220-5425 or come try our Women’s Only BJJ Class held every Sunday from 12:30-1:30pm at Arashi Do North, 12730 St. Albert Trail. A Gi is not necessary your first several times, but sweats/pants and a shirt or sweater you don’t mind getting stretched out a bit is fine.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or BJJ is a sport to sort out at least once in this ultimate quest of life. BJJ is a great contact sport where your body will get great training, breathing practices, and a great workout in general. Of course, it’s a contact sport and becomes competitive once you are at your maximum level of a fight, but it lets you be creative with all parts of the body. People think that Jiu Jitsu is just a violent sport for men, but these days, a lot of women are quite interested in it.

Brazillian Jiu Jitsu can help you grow self-esteem, boost your confidence, and obtain good health. Once you come head on with this situation, you would want these qualities entrenched in you. Particular methods that are the portion of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are very ideal for women those who are looking for self-protection methods. If you’re a small person without enough strength, the best thing you can do is learn and perform these techniques, as it will boost both the bodily and psychological power you’ll need to subdue your attacker. The effort and time you’ll give in learning this method is going to be an investment.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu offers women an ability in which they could be physically active and the workout and exercises they may want to be fit. Those who are not that into sports or women who believe that sports is only a waste of their time but have the desire to get the best shape possible, would love Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Suppleness, third-point pressure, movement of the hip, and a lot more could impose on the well growth of the body as well as the mind. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can be a very great sport if you become an expert, as it will teach you how to fight to defend yourself. Most of the encounters that deal with confrontations with the opposite sex result in on-the-ground seized down in contradiction of her will. Many things could occur in that quick moment of emergency, but having knowledge about the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, one can restrict the creeping and wriggling, by means of their Jiu Jitus instinct, they will be able to knock and bond anyone needed in any given time.

You could see by this time, how Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a relaxing and calming martial art. If you have not learned this miraculous sport, you are sure to get frightened if somebody over you is smashing their body over yours. You’ll be out of your mind and breakout without knowing what to do. You couldn’t work the body correctly the moment you are in a panic mode. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu methods would tell you what to do if somebody tries to abuse you and just the recurrence would assist your mind develop ideas making your actions much quicker. It is a good way to strip you off anxiety. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu needs a great deal of willpower and focus to sort out throughout the practice; it helps people to release all of the anxiety she or he has. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a really entertaining sport and it is sure to be a life changing practice for anyone who will be on for it.

For more information on starting in BJJ, call 780-220-5425 or come try our Women’s Only BJJ Class held every Sunday from 12:30-1:30pm at Arashi Do North, 12730 St. Albert Trail. A Gi is not necessary your first several times, but sweats/pants and a shirt or sweater you don’t mind getting stretched out a bit is fine.